Category Archives: Summer Bird Reports

This continues to be an excellent summer for American Avocets at Montrose. Four were feeding in the fluddle on the public beach on the afternoon of August 27. The shorebirds that use the beach don’t mind all the human activity, proving that if left alone and given some space wildlife and humans can coexist peacefully.

Shorebirds have been moving south for over a month in Chicago but the first passerine (songbird) migrants are just starting to appear. This Olive-sided Flycatcher was taking a break at Montrose on August 14. Link to my eBird checklist for the day below.

The travels of birds are extraordinary. Our Olive-sided Flycather could have come anywhere from Northern Wisconsin to Alaska and will spend the winter in Central or South America. And it will keep making this journey for as long as it’s alive. Not bad for a creature that weighs a little more than an ounce.

Our Piping Plovers are now the proud parents of 2 chicks. A third chick hatched but died recently for unknown reasons. Monty, the papa, is doing an outstanding job of defending his kids from gulls and other shorebirds. Also, Rose, the mother, disappeared for a few days but returned on July 29. With a little luck, the chicks will survive, grow up, and fly away in a few weeks.

American Avocet, Piping Plover, and Semipalmated Plover (click to see the larger version)

Another hot, steamy summer day and another American Avocet at Montrose Beach. This one, an adult male, was working the public beach and protected area early on the morning of July 19. Also note the photobombing Semipalmated Plover and Piping Plover in the lower left corner of the photo. Link to my eBird checklist for the day below.

Shorebird season is in full swing along the Chicago lakefront. Five American Avocets put in an appearance at Montrose Beach on the morning of July 17. They didn’t stay long but this is the time of the year when Montrose and other Illinois lakefront beaches should be checked regularly for shorebirds. Plus, something even more exciting could show up — a hurricane waif, Brown Booby, Limpkin, or similarly fantastic bird (extralimital Brown Boobies and Limpkins have been showing up in the eastern US). Link to my eBird checklist for the day below.

I ran over to Montrose on the evening of July 12 to look for large shorebirds. With reports of Whimbrels and Willets along the Indiana lakefront recently I thought this might be a worthwhile effort. Between all the beach goers and flooding on the beach, shorebird habitat has been in short supply at Montrose. I did find a nice adult Willet at the far east end of the public beach, not far from where the Piping Plovers are nesting. This is a good time of the year to look for large shorebirds like Willets, Whimbrels, and Marbled Godwits at Montrose. I often have better luck with these birds in the evening than the morning as they get flushed off of other beaches and end up at Montrose because it has some habitat for them.